A Servant's Tale

A man came out of the forest for the first time. He did not know why, other than the fact that deep inside he heard a voice calling him out to see the fields, valleys and mountains that lay beyond the security of his forest home. The voice was neither male nor female, for it was a kind of longing in the man’s heart to go beyond himself and his natural instincts for self preservation. It came from the sound of running water that flowed as a stream through the heart of the trees. It came through the echoing cries of birds of prey and in the soft melodies of song birds in the cool morning breezes. It came from the world of people who lived as a community outside the captive boughs of the forest cathedral.


One night, the man had a vision as he sat beside the fire which he had used to cook his meal and warm himself. In his dream he could not speak nor move as he was startled to find a large bear had entered the light of his camp fire. Black eyes reflected back his fear as the man had forgotten the lessons of his father and the ways of his people who had raised him as their own. “Why can’t I move?” he thought, as the bear moved no closer. “Why has he not eaten me alive by now?” he wondered.

Then, he remembered: “I did not run because that is what a rabbit does to avoid the fox or the prey of hawks that scurry into their burrows for safety.” He stood up, filled his lungs with breath and raised his head and arms upward. In the shadowed light behind him there appeared a figure taller than the bear that moved about with the flickering flames of the camp fire. The bear, having seen this strange figure, turned and lowered its massive body and quietly left the man’s presence.

Servant leadership calls us out of the comfort of ourselves. It begs us to come see the vision outside our safe and secure world that we have known all our lives. It beckons, “Come, follow me, and I will make you see the greater picture, the mountain of which you have feared with small eyes." You will climb this mountain and know many days of hard work, toil and tears, but you will be a part of a journey shared by many. You will lead and others will follow, for you are called to be a servant of the people. You will care for the sick, console the mourner and bring joy to the small child who looks up to you with wide wonder. You will work diligently as the beaver does to prepare for winter and you will store up riches in the hearts and minds of those you serve. Though your instincts may seemingly fail you at times and the path become unclear; trust that the Great Spirit within you will provide all the necessities of life. To prevail on your journey is to become as light in darkness and warmth in the cold night to those lost and who hunger for meaning…